Monday, August 01, 2005

More on Harry...

Sorry gang, I just can't get enough right now, and I'm sure it will die down, but with book six just finished, and now having re-read almost all of the books again, I share the following with you - but first, a public service announcement for all of those that want to speak of the religious qualities of the books....

PLEASE stop trying to compare the Harry Potter series to any form of Christ-like religious theology mumbo-jumo. We always try to find the deeper, hidden meaning, trying to find a G-d like presence in all that we see and do - just look at the virgin mary who showed up on a piece of toast and is being sold on e-bay.

I mean, really.

When it comes down to it, we, as humans, only know a few handful of story plots, and we keep doing them OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER. Shakespeare borrowed form the bible, we borrow from Shakespeare. Almost any Bible story has been told in numerous forms in various centuries by random writers. Don't believe me? Go ahead, pick up a book, any work of fiction and read it while LOOKING for a parable or a Torah Portion or a Christ-reference - you'll find it SOMEWHERE in there. Our ability to creatively invent is great, but it is also limited in a sense. We only know of about 5 plots, and we twist them something awful, but all stories are linked to a total of about five plot or through-lines.

So there's nothing new, really, and it's all the same, but it's HOW it's told that is wonderous, shining and new, and makes me stay up until 2am every night reading.

I LOVE JK Rowling for getting people hooked on reading again, and even personally so. I was one of those kids who, after being tucked in, would get a book and a flashlight and read for an hour or two before falling to sleep. I stopped doing that as I got older, and relied more on TV and other forms of entertainment. Like the state quarters that renewed my interest in the coin collecting I did as a child; JK Rowling renewed my interest in reading, and for that, I'm eternally grateful.

Now, to my philosophies and thoughts and clues that I've picked up along the way, while re-reading the books again. I'm about to finish book 4, and start book 5, so I'm sure I'll have more to say, but here's a start...

In Book one, we hear Dumbledore say to Harry:“To the organized mind, Harry, Death is but the next great adventure.” – so YES, DD is really dead. HE will “live” through his portraits, however.

In book two, we hear DD tell Harry that he’s never really gone for those that are loyal to him, and as a result, Fawkes comes to his aid against the basalisk, giving him the sword from the sorting hat, so how will Fawkes, the sword and the sorting hat come to Harry's Aid in Book 7?

In book three, we learn about Trelawney’s prophecy “Voldemort will come to power, and it will be his servant (Peter Pettigrew) that will help him.” (this we see in the end of Book 4)

We also learn about the time turner – which I HOPE comes to play in book seven… perhaps they sneak into the Ministry of Magic and steal it, and turn back time to prevent DD’s death….

And we learn that “if a wizard saves another wizards life, they have a special bond, and he is indebted to him.” (Potter saving Pettigrew) – THAT explains why Snape is always saving Potter, as James saved HIS life, and since he could not save James’ life, he is now focusing on Harry.

In book four, we learn about Snape’s past as a Death Eater, and how he came over to the good side BEFORE Voldemoret fell, and how DD trusts him and uses him as a spy. I think DD and Snape did their own unbreakable vow some time back…

Oh, and as for the movies, I was getting so annoyed that their hair was getting longer, but then I realized – “Look at Dumbledore!” HIS hair is long. DOH! Wizards have long hair. Except, of course from other schools. So perhaps it’s just a Hogwarts thing.

In book four, Voldemort uses some of Harry’s blood to “come back” telling him that he is now using some of the same “protection” that Lilly used on Harry… Thus connecting Harry and Lord Voldemort even more.

I also have a TON of references as to how and why Snape is still good, and protecting and saving Harry, but they are the SAME as everyone elses. When I come up with a NEW thought (Like my thought that he and DD did the unbreakable vow) I'll share. For now, feel free to discuss amongst yourselves.

1 comment:

all the time turners were destroyed in the ministry of magic battle... of course, maybe not all of them were destroyed, maybe one of them survived...

I do have a hard time thinking that (now that we know that such a thing as the unbreakable oath exists in the HP universe) Dumbledore didn't have Snape make one, but still, Dumbledore seems to place a very high value on free will, and the unbreakable oath does put a crimp on one's free will should one change one's mind...

The one 'bad' person I think will be redeemed is Draco Malfoy. We've enjoyed hating him for so long, but really, he's just a boy, and I think he's beginning to learn the difference between school-yard bullying and the life-and-death machinations of the side he has so far allied himself with.